Opinions Wanted: Speed Cameras

“I think they're good overall, I think we have way too many of them,” resident Julie Parke said.

That's part of the issue for the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Whether it's overlooking the always busy 380, monitoring drivers on 10th street and 1st avenue, or the thousands of cameras around the state, Steve Gent says their use has increased greatly over the past few years.

“They're pretty intrusive, they're controversial,” Gent said.

Currently, IDOT is crafting guidelines that would makes cameras the last option. They’re looking to take an approach that would identify the issues on a certain road, and then search for the countermeasures that could fix them.

Gent says IDOT is hoping to make new cameras a last resort.

The new guidelines would only apply to roads under IDOT control and not to red light cameras across Cedar Rapids. Existing cameras, like the ones on 380, would be subject to an annual study, examining their effectiveness.

“Then the department's gonna look at that, evaluate that, and see if the system is still needed,” Gent said.

Some residents say the new guidelines will help, others are more skeptical.

“I don't know how else you slow people down if they're not going to pay attention to the cameras,” resident Shea McMann said. “I don't know what they're gonna pay attention to.”

IDOT is looking for input on the guidelines. There will be a public meeting at the Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. at the Hampton Inn and Suites, 6210 SE Convenience Blvd. in Ankeny. For more info visit http://www.iowadot.gov Opinions Wanted: Speed Cameras

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